Die Hauptstadt des Saarlandes

Say "Hallo" to Saarbrücken-- the capital of the Saarland and the city I called home this past summer. Here are my top 10 earthfaves, or favorite places, in the city.

1. Vapiano

We ate here at least once a week. The pasta, pizza, and apperitivos are delicious and made right in front of you. I love the decor, picnic tables for dining outside, warm ambience, and the rosemary and basil plants on every table.

2. Daniel's Garten

My boss, Daniel, has a garden which is great for grill parties. We celebrated the Fourth of July here.

3. St. Johanner Markt
The center of the city is charming and lined with outdoor cafes, ice cream parlors, restaurants, book shops, bars, art galleries, and boutiques. On Saturday mornings the square turns into an open market for fresh fruits & vegetables, eggs, bread, wine, honey, and other local products. The city's French influence is most noticeable here. In the afternoons and evenings, it is a great place to sit and people watch and kill the hour.

4. Viva Zapata!

This is probably my favorite restaurant in SB. They have a Mittagessen special called "Tapas Marathon," which is all you can eat Spanish tapas for 9,80. I'm also a fan of the outdoor courtyard with bier garten style seating and the Madrid house wine.

5. Schlossplatz

The view from the castle walls is one of the best in the city. There is also a cafe and bier garten. And in the summer you can attend free weekly concerts at Sonntags ans Schloss. 

6. My favorite Eiscafe

I never actually learned the name of this ice cream parlor since it did not have a sign, but I frequently ordered its coffee ice cream and mango sorbet (not together, of course).

7. Zum Stiefel

This historic Gasthaus is a great place to try Saarländisch specialties as well as one of the beers that they brew on-sight.

8. Ludwigskirche

This church is so unique due to its square shape and solid white interior. It would be a gorgeous place to have a wedding.

9. Deutsch-Französischer Garten
These gardens are a nice place to relax or picnic with friends. There is a pond with paddle boats, several cafes, cable cars, a miniature train, and stage for live performances.

10. Der Hauptbahnhof 

This is arguably one of the ugliest train stations in Germany, but it was such an important location for me over the summer and I have many memories there. It's where I mailed postcards home, shopped on Sundays when nothing else was opened, welcomed and said goodbye to many a friend, and set off on many adventures.

Auf Wiedersehen SB!

I'm leaving Germany today flooded with a mix of emotions. I'm so excited to see my friends and family at home and to begin my senior year at TCU. But on the other hand, I hate saying goodbye to my little "earthfaves family" here in Saarbrücken. It's a bittersweet feeling. The only way I can organize my thoughts is into the following three lists:

Things I will not miss:

-Paying to use public toilets
-Bringing an umbrella with me everywhere I go
-Paying for water at restaurants
-The old lady hookers that hang out and smoke cigs all day on my street
-Seeing this message: “Unfortunately, this UMG-music-content is not available in Germany because GEMA has not granted the respective music publishing rights” every time I try to watch a video on YouTube.

-International withdrawal fees, paying for everything with coins and Monopoly bills, and the awful dollar to euro exchange rate!

Things I will miss:

-Sidewalk cafes
-Döner kebab
-The rolling green hills and giant wind turbines of the countryside
-Efficient public transportation
-Zara, Mango, and H&M
-Schoko Brötchen
-Pretty buildings that are older than America itself
-Good German beer
-Being able to walk everywhere
-The charm of small, non-franchised shops and restaurants
-German chocolates
-Hearing “Ach so!” every other word
-My wonderful, funny coworkers (most of all)

Things I most look forward to:

-Sunshine & warm temperatures
-Healthy food options
-Spending some days on the beach with my family
-Catching up with my roommates
-Once again having a microwave, toaster, washer & dryer, dish washing machine, smart phone, and all the other little luxuries that make life convenient.
-Ice cubes—haven’t seen those since I’ve been in Germany.
-And along with that, iced coffee!
-Businesses being open early, late, on Sunday, and even 24/7
-My comfortable bed
-Mexican food
-Driving back to Fort Worth
-My Pandora stations
-Going to TCU football games with all my friends
-Simply being in one place (for a little while at least).


I may be leaving Germany for the summer, but I'll be back one day. I left many cities unexplored such as Munich, Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg. Today I'm taking the train to Kirn, a bus to Frankfurt, and a flight to Madrid so that I can reunite with some of my favorite earthfaves interns :) 

Texas on my Mind

I keep running into little reminders of Texas everywhere I go. Perhaps they are signs that is about time for me to head back where I belong. This summer has been great, just not what I expected. I knew that working abroad would be a different experience from studying abroad, but I never imagined how completely opposite it would be. However, I'm glad that I took this internship opportunity. It took a courage that I did not even know I possessed to leave behind everything familiar at home and fly across the globe to a place where I knew nobody. Had I not taken this chance, I may have always wondered what it was like to live in Germany. 

But the truth is, I feel like a fish out of water here. It's cold and rainy most days, and I just miss the summer weather I used to know, the beach, Mexican food, and my family and friends. Three months (or a quarter of a year really) is a long time to be in one place, when that place isn't home. The grass always seems greener on the other side, even though I know that it is much greener here than in the drought-ridden land I said goodbye to in May. And maybe when I'm back in Sealy sweating in the 100+ degree heat or stressed out of my mind at school in Fort Worth, I'll long for the lazy, grey days in Saarbrücken when I had few responsibilities. But right now, I simply desire to feel the warmth of the sun upon my face, to eat a Chilly Willy snow cone, and wear sandals and shorts again. Is that too much to ask for? Twelve days until I'm home. Let the countdown begin...

graffiti along the Saar River

I'm not sure what is so Texan about pepperoni pizza, but they sell this in Ihr Platz

it may be hard to find Dr. P on the East Coast, but it's here in Germany

cowboy boots in Paris (France, not TX)

[[Currently on repeat: "Texas" by The Damnwells]]

“For a few precious moments… I am back in Old Texas, under a high sky, where all things are again possible and the wind blows free.” - Larry L. King

"A Texan outside of Texas is a foreigner." –John Steinbeck

À bientôt

Tonight I am catching up on some overdue blog posts. I've been busy hanging out with Ludivine and helping her cross things off her to do list during her last week here in Saarbrücken. Today she finished her internship and went back home to Lyon. To celebrate her last day at work, we had a delightful little picnic in the office with the food that her mother brought from France-- salami, pâté, bread, wine, and cheese. It was scrumptious!

I can't believe how quickly two months can fly by and how quickly a friendship can blossom. Ludivine and I started our internships on the same day back in May, and for a long time we were the only two girls in the office. I have no idea what I'm going to do without her during my last month here in Germany. Who will go shoe shopping with me during lunch breaks now?

My heart ached when I had to say farewell this evening, but it was much easier knowing that I was saying "see you soon" rather than goodbye. We've already made plans to meet up again in August and visit Jesus and Diego in Madrid. It should be the perfect way to end my summer abroad, with the friends that I met in the beginning.

"Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends." 

-Richard Bach

4. Juli

Independence Day is one of my favorite American holidays, and this is the second year in a row that I have celebrated it away from the homeland. But just like last summer in Capri, I found other Americans to share the day with. Youlia, Necco, and I (or "Team America" as we like to call ourselves) invited the rest of our colleagues to celebrate with us in a true American fashion. After work, we all walked to Daniel's garden where we had a BBQ. It is a summer tradition here in the Saarland to cook meat over a special swinging grill called a Schwenker (pictured below). The meal was delicious and afterwards we introduced everyone to an American campfire favorite--s'mores! Only instead of graham crackers & Hershey's squares, we used Butterkekse and Nutella. Yum! We also had sparklers (which took me almost 2 hours to find in town and I was so excited when I finally found them, that I bought over 100!) It was a great celebration and certainly a Fourth of July I won't soon forget. Happy 235th America!

"Oh, it's home again and home again, America for me!

I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea
To the blessed land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars."  

-Henry Van Dyke

Hasta Luego

Goodbyes suck, and yesterday I had to say adios to two of my new amigos--Jesus and Diego. They have officially finished their internships at earthfaves and headed back to sunny old Spain. Although yesterday was a holiday in Germany, the day was far from cheery. The weather was bleak (as usual) and I had to bid farewell to Jesus at the Hauptbahnhof in the morning and Diego at the bus stop in the evening. I never realized how close of friends we all became in just a month's time. The office is much quieter without my favorite crazy Spaniards; they will truly be missed.

But we did not send them off without first having a proper fiesta. On Wednesday night the whole office went to dinner at Zum Stiefel and then we danced the night way to 90's music at Die Garage. We were quite a random group to be seen: three Americans, two French, an Indian, two Spaniards, a Catalan (not to be confused with the Spanish-- but let's not even go there), Daniel (one of my bosses), a Bulgarian, and a German professor (from the College of Charleston.) It was hilarious, to say the least.

with Raafi, Jesus & Ludivine at Zum Stiefel

spinach & feta strudel.

my farewell gift from the guys: "a hula hoop, because you used to be a cheerleader." 

I will miss these guys a lot, but I have a good feeling that our paths will cross again.
Who knows... maybe even later this summer :)

“Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.” -Henry David Thoreau

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next." -Gilda Radner

altstadtfest

Last weekend was the annual Altstadtfest in Saarbrücken. The main square was lined with stands selling food, drinks, and sweets from all over the world, as well as specialties from other regions of Germany. Though the weather was cold and it rained the whole weekend, I still spent the majority of it outdoors enjoying the festivities.

So my boss at earthfaves is also a DJ for this group called the Robot Scientists, and on Friday they had a gig at a lounge called Liquido. I met the rest of my coworkers there in the evening and after listening to some "spaced out disco," we all went dancing at a club called n8werk.

The next morning I met the interns at a cafe for breakfast. Afterwards, I took a nap to catch up on some lost sleep from the night before and then we met up again in the evening to enjoy some of the concerts and activities of the festival.

We ended up going back to n8werk on Saturday night for a spring break themed party. Apparently, throwing USA college spring break parties is the cool thing to do here in Saarbrücken, because this is already the second one I've been to. I find it is interesting to see their perceptions of American college students over here. I think they must have formed their ideas about us from watching American Pie movies or bad MTV shows because the decorations and entertainment at the diskothek were a bit raunchy and ridiculous.

On Sunday I went to Mettlach with Ludivine, Jesus, Diego, Mathias, and Diego (número 2). The goal was to make it to the top of the hill to see the Saarschleife, the most famous landscape of the Saar River. Unfortunately we never quite made it there, due to both a lack of prior planning and the constant rain. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the train ride, good company, and the quiet walk in nature.

I got to see how a dam works up close-- it was actually pretty neat.

Even though Saarbrücken is no Berlin, I am always surprised by how much there is to do here and throughout the Saarland. There are several festivals this summer and lots of opportunities to experience some culture at a play, film, or concert. Because it is a university town, there are several nightlife options and always something to do on the weekends. I still have a lot of sights to see before I can call myself a true Saarbrücker including the churches, museums, and castle. This Saturday I'm road tripping to Luxembourg with the other interns, but more on that later. Today I'm just relaxing and staying out of the rain on yet another day off in Germany. Have I mentioned how much I love all these holidays?

Photo Cred: Ludivine, Diego, Nachtwerk

just another manic monday

Today was one of those icky Mondays when you want to hit the snooze button until noon. But I grudgingly rolled out of bed and got dressed for the drizzly, grey weather in Saarbrücken. Last week I finally got a hold of my land lady on the telephone and I made an appointment with her for 9:00 this morning.  So I grabbed my yellow umbrella and set out on foot to the other side of town. I climbed the vertical maze of steps until I reached the office of Frau Bonke (pronounced like Ban Ki-moon). She invited me to take a seat and as she opened the giant filing cabinet behind her desk and started pulling papers left and right out of the identical rows of red 4 inch binders. She had an ice-cold personality and was not very patient with me when I asked her to speak a little slower because I am not fluent in German. I searched for the right words to explain my situation but my German classes somehow failed to teach me real estate terms. I ended up signing an 8 page contract that I wasn't able to read, and leaving without still paying a single euro. I was even more confused walking out of the building, than when I entered. It was a terrifying experience.

I am afraid that my German has not progressed as much as it should have in a month's time. I almost always speak English in the office, because there are so many nationalities represented and it is the only common language we share. Even when I'm out in town, ordering food or asking for directions, people will sometimes realize I'm a foreigner and automatically switch to English with me. And it's always English-- never Spanish, French, or Italian. I have made a good effort to blend in with the locals and I don't understand what it is about me that screams "Hello, I'm an American! Please speak English with me." On Friday we had several people stop by the flat to see Cécile's room, since she is moving out soon. Every time I introduced myself to them (auf Deutsch, natürlich) and told them where I was from, they each said "Oh good! Then we can practice English." Don't get me wrong--I'm always happy to help others and I enjoy teaching people new English words, but this time around I just want to be the student. That's why I'm here, right?

Some days (well mostly on rainy, cold ones like today), I wonder what the heck I am doing here. Why am I learning German?--A language that hardly anyone speaks in the Western Hemisphere. A language that is impossible to master grammatically. I think the only reason I have stuck with it as long as I have is due to my own stubborn determination to finish what I begin. I have a difficult time visualizing how this skill is going to help me later on in life, but I am going to make the most of my summer here and try to soak up as much knowledge as I possibly can.

I will leave you with some quotes from one of my favorite authors, Mark Twain. His honest and blunt opinions on the German language can be appreciated by anyone who has attempted to tackle it as a second language:

"My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years. It seems manifest, then, that the latter tongue ought to be trimmed down and repaired. If it is to remain as it is, it ought to be gently and reverently set aside among the dead languages, for only the dead have time to learn it." (A Tramp Abroad, Appendix D)

"Some German words are so long that they have a perspective. Observe these examples: Freundschaftsbezeigungen. Dilettantenaufdringlichkeiten. Stadtverordnetenversammlungen
These things are not words, they are alphabetical processions.
Generalstaatsverordnetenversammlungen. Alterthumswissenschaften. Kinderbewahrungsanstalten. Unabhaengigkeitserklaerungen. Wiedererstellungbestrebungen. Waffenstillstandsunterhandlungen.
Of course when one of these grand mountain ranges goes stretching across
the printed page, it adorns and ennobles that literary landscape but at
the same time it is a great distress to the new student, for it blocks up
his way; ... "   (A Tramp Abroad, Appendix D)

"Whenever the literary German dives into a sentence, that is the last you are going to see of him till he emerges on the other side of his Atlantic with his verb in his mouth." (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court)

"The Germans have an inhuman way of cutting up their verbs. Now a verb has a hard time enough of it in this world when it's all together. It's downright inhuman to split it up. But that's just what those Germans do. They take part of a verb and put it down here, like a stake, and they take the other part of it and put it away over yonder like another stake, and between these two limits they just shovel in German." (Disappearance of Literature)

Mein Geburtstag

Yesterday was my 21st birthday. Though I missed being able to celebrate it with family and friends in the United States, I still had a wonderful time here in Saarbrücken. When I showed up to work in the morning, there were several surprises waiting for me:

H&M gift card from Youlia. She already knows me too well!

a gift from Necco-- his favorite beer from Berlin

a t-shirt with birthday wishes in everyone's native language

After work, I went with Carles, Diego, and Ludivine to an international festival called Global Village at the university. Raafi was there and let us sample some delicious Indian cuisine.

In the evening I met everyone at a Spanish restaurant called Viva Zapata that is located just down the street from my flat. We sat outside and the atmosphere was perfect--bier garten-style seating, live music from a Spanish guitarist, and warm weather. We all shared small plates of tapas, liters of wine, and good conversation. It was a great way to spend my birthday! Thanks to everyone who made it special.

Yesterday also marked the one year anniversary of my Semester at Sea voyage. A year ago I was in Halifax, Canada, celebrating my 20th birthday with new acquaintances who soon became good friends. A year ago I boarded the MV Explorer and set out on a journey across the Atlantic to nine Mediterranean countries-- an experience that undoubtedly changed my life. I never could have imagined then that I would be spending my next birthday in Germany! But I am incredibly grateful to be here and for all the amazing experiences I've had abroad, both this summer and last.

a sweet little necklace from my aunt & uncle

"Follow your bliss, and doors will open for you that you never knew existed. Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls." -Joseph Campbell

(Photo 4 courtesy of Raafi, Photo 6 courtesy of Ludivine)